The Concept Of Collaborative Working Social Work Essay

The Concept Of Collaborative Working Social Work Essay Collaboration is a interprofessional process of communication and decision making that enables shared knowledge and skills in health care providers to synergistically influence the ways service user/patient care and the broader community health services are provided (Way et al, 2002). The development of collaborative working will necessarily entail close interprofessional working (Wilson et al., 2008). According to Wilson et al, (2008) and Hughes, Hemmingway Smith, (2005) interprofessional and collaborative working describes considering the service user in a holistic way, and the benefits to the service user that different organisations, such as Social Workers (SW), Occupational Therapists (OT) and District Nurse (DN) and other health professionals can bring working together can achieve. These definitions describe collaborative working as the act of people working together toward common goals. Integrated working involves putting the service user at the centre of decision making to m eet their needs and improve their lives (Dept of Health, 2009). This paper will focus first see why health care students learn about working together then reviewing government policy and how this can be applied in a Social Care context, then on influencing factors on the outcomes of collaborative working references within the professional literature, and finally, reviewing evidence on collaborative practice in health and social care. Learning to work collaboratively with other professionals and agencies is a clear expectation of social worker in the prescribed curriculum for the new Social Work Degree (DoH 2002). The reasons are plain: à ¢-  Service users want social workers who can collaborate effectively with others to obtain and provide services (Audit Commission 2002) à ¢-  Collaboration is central in implementing strategies for effective care and protection of children and of vulnerable adultsas underlined, respectively, by the recent report of the Victoria Climbià © Inquiry (Laming 2003) and the earlier No Secrets policies (DoH 2000) à ¢-  Effective collaboration between staff at the front-line is also a crucial ingredient in delivering the Governments broader goals of partnership between services (Whittington 2003). Experience is growing of what is involved in learning for collaborative practice. This experience promises valuable information for Social Work Degree providers and others developing learning opportunities but has not been systematically researched in UK social work programmes for a decade (Whittington 1992; Whittington et al 1994). The providers of Diploma in Social Work programmes (DipSW) represented an untapped source of directly transferable experience in this area of learning and were therefore chosen as the focus of the study. Making collaborative practice a reality in institutions requires an understanding of the essential elements, persistent and continuing efforts, and rigorous evaluation of outcomes. Satisfaction, quality, and cost effectiveness are essential factors on two dimensions: outcomes for patient care providers; and outcomes for patients. Ultimately, collaborative practice can be recognized by demonstrated effective communication patterns, achievement of enhanced patient care outcomes, and efficient and effective support services in place. If these criteria are not met, collaborative practice is a myth and not a reality in your institution. Simms LM, Dalston JW, Roberts PW. Collaborative practice: myth or reality? Hosp Health Serv Adm. 1984 Nov-Dec;29(6):36-48. PubMed PMID: 10268659. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed Health care students are thought about collaboration so that they can see the unique contribution that each professional can bring to the provision of care in a truly holistic way. Learning about working together can help prevent the development of negative stereotypes, which can inhabit interprofessional collaboration. (Tunstall-Pedoe et al 2003) Health care students can link theory they have leant with practice and bring added value of successful collaborative practice. (www.facuity.londondeanery.ac.uk) Learning collaborative practice with other professionals is the core expectation in social work education both qualifying and post grad. Effective collaboration and interaction can directly influence a SU treatment, in a positive way, and the opposite can be said about ineffective collaboration that can have severe ramifications, which has been cited in numerous public inquiries. Professionals should also share information about SUs to keep themselves and their colleagues safe from harm. Working together to safeguard children states that training on safeguarding children and young people should be embedded within a wider framework of commitment to inter and multi-agency working at strategic and operational levels underpinned by shared goals, planning processes and values. The Children Act 1989 recognised that the identification and investigation of child abuse, together with the protection and support of victims and their families, requires multi-agency collaboration. Caring for People (DH, 1989) stated that successful collaboration required a clear, mutual understanding by every agency of each others responsibilities and powers, in order to make plain how and with whom collaboration should be secured. It is evident from the above that Government has been actively promoting collaborative working, and this is reflected in professional literature. Hence, the policy climate and legislative backdrop were established to facilitate inter-agency and intra-agency collaborati on. The stated aim has been to create high quality, needs-led, co-ordinated services that maximised choice for the service user (Payne, 1995). Political pressure in recent years has focused attention on interprofessional collaboration in SW (Pollard, Sellman Senior, 2005) and when viewed as a good thing, it is worthwhile to critically examine its benefits and drawbacks just what is so good about it. (Leathard, 2003). Interprofessional collaboration benefits the service user by the use of complementary skills, shared knowledge, resources and possibility better job satisfaction. Soon after the new Labour government in 1997 gave a powerful new impetus to the concept of collaboration and partnership between health professionals and services, they recognised this and there was a plethora of social policy initiatives official on collaborative working published. A clear indication of this can be found in NHS Plan (DH, 2000), Modernising the Social Services (DH, 1998a). Policies concentrat ed on agency structures and better joint working. This was nothing new, since the 1970s there has been a growing emphasis on multiagency working. 1974 saw the first big press involvement in the death of a child (Maria Coldwell) and they questioned why professionals were not able to protect children who they had identified as most at risk. The pendulum of threat to children then swung too much the other way and the thresholds for interventions were significantly lowered, which culminated with the Cleveland Inquiry of 1988 when children were removed from their families when there was little concrete evidence of harm (Butler-Sloss, 1988), with too much emphasis put on the medical opinion. An equilibrium was needed for a collaborative work ethic to share knowledge and skills and Munro (2010) states that other service agencies cannot and should not replace SWs, but there is a requirement for agencies to engage professionally about children, young people and families on their caseloads. T he Children Act 2004 (Dept of Health, 2004) and associated government guidance, introduced following the Public Inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbià © in 2000, including Every Child Matters (Dept of Health, 2003), were written to stress the importance of interprofessional and multiagency working and to help improve it. The failure to collaborate effectively was highlighted as one of many missed opportunities by the inquiry into the tragic death of Victoria Climbià © (Laming, 2003) and Baby Peter (Munro, 2009). There is an assumption that shared information is information understood problems with information sharing and effective commination are cited again and again in public enquiry reports Rose and Barnes 2008; Brandon et al, 2008). These problems can simply be about very practical issues, such as delays in information shearing, lost messages, names and addresses that are incorrectly recorded (Laming 2003 cited in Ten pitfalls and how to avoid them 2010) An explicit aim was to motivate the contribution of multiagency working. By 1997 Labour had been re elected and rolled out a number of studies into collaboration. These studies revealed the many complexities and obstacles to collaborative working (Weinstein, 2003). The main drivers of the governments health and social care policies were partnership, collaboration and multi-disciplinary working. One of the areas covered by Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010 (Dept of Health, 2010) stated that organisations and agencies should work together to recognise and manage any individual who presents a risk of harm to children. The Children Act 1989 (Dept of Health, 1989) requires multi-agency collaboration to help indentify and investigate any cases of child abuse, and the protection and support of victims and their families. It should be remembered that everyone brings their piece of expertise/ knowledge to help build the jigsaw (Working Together 2010) and to assess the service user i n a holistic way. Although the merits of collaboration have rarely been disputed, the risk of conflict between the professional groups remains. Some of the barriers to collaboration are different resource allocation systems, different accountability structures, professional tribalism, pace of change and spending constraints The disadvantages are if commissioning was led by health, an over-emphasis on health care needs, and inequities between patients from different practices There are challenges in terms of professional and personal resistance to change; it is difficult to change entrenched attitudes even through inter-professional education. Sometimes professionals disagree about the causes of and the solutions to problems, they may have different objectives because of different paradigms (Pierson M, 2010). There are also several concerns for SWs which include not knowing which assessments to use, appearing to be different or work differently from others in the team, not being taken seriously or listened to by colleagues and not having sufficient time or resources because of budget constraints (Warren, 2007). Some of the reasoning for this pessimistic mood is feelings of inequality and rivalries, the relative status and power of professionals, professional identity and territory. Different patterns of accountability and discretion between professionals, are all contributing factors to these feelings (Hudson, 2002). Thompson (2009) suggests that instead of the SW being viewed as the expert with all the answers to the problems, they should step back and look at what other professionals can contribute. Collaborative working offers a way forward, in which the SW works with everyone involved with the clients; carers, voluntary workers and other professional staff, to maximise the resources, thus giving an opportunity for making progress and affording the service user the best possible care. Weinstein, et al, (2003) stated that although there are problems with collaborative working, the potential positive outcomes out-weight the negatives. There could be a more integrated, timely and coherent response to the many complex human problems, fewer visits, better record keeping and transfer of information, and some reduction of risk; therefore the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. If SWs work in silos, working in a vacuum, they are unlikely to maximise their impact (Brodie, 2008). It is important to use collaboration and an interprofessional/multi agency working culture in Social Work in order that the most vulnerable service users receive the best possible assessments of their needs. The advantages are better understanding of the constraints of each agency and system overall, shared information on local needs, reduction in duplication of assessments, better planning, avoiding the blame culture when problems occurred and accessing social care via health less stigmatising. Greater knowledge of the SWs roles and responsibilities by other health care professionals will ensure that the SWs role is not substituted in assessment of the service users circumstances and needs (Munro, 2010). The Munro Report (2010) also states that if everyone holds a piece of the jigsaw a full picture is impossible until every piece is put together. Working together to Safeguard Children states a multi-professional approach is required to ensure collaboration among all involved, which may include ambulance staff, AE department staff, coroners officers, police, GPs, health visitors, school nurses, community childrens nurses, midwives, paediatricians, palliative or end of life care staff, mental health professionals, substance misuse workers, hospital bereavement staff, voluntary agencies, coroners, pathologists, forensic medical examiners, local authority childrens social care, YOTs, probation, schools, prison staff where a child has died in custody and any others who may find themselves with a contribution to make in individual cases (for example, fire fighters or faith leaders). In a study by Carpenter et al (2003) concerning the impact on staff of providing integrated care in multi-disciplinary mental health teams in the North of England, the most positive results were found in areas where services were fully integrated. There is much evidence to suggest that collaboration represents an ethical method of practice where differences are respected, but used creatively to find solutions to complex problems. In essence the service user should be cared for in a holistic approach and to achieve this collaboration is the answer. (1516) Professor Munro askes Some local areas have introduced social work-led, multi-agency locality teams to help inform best next steps in respect of a child or young person, including whether a formal child protection intervention is needed. Do you think this is useful? Do you have evidence of it working well? What are the practical implications of this approach? (http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2011/01/04/116046/munro-asks-frontline-workers-what-needs-to-change.htm)

Key Business Issues Relating to Best Value Management

The â€Å"Key Business Issues Relating to Best Value Management and Strategic Development in the Housing/Regeneration Industry & New Business and Asset Management† are inclusive of what is termed â€Å"Best Value†. In the Housing Industry the 4Cs of best value are applied to every review. The four â€Å"Cs† are: (1) Challenging why and how a service is being provided; (2) comparing performance with the performance of others in the industry; (3) embrace of fair competition as a means of securing efficient and effective services; (4) consulting with local taxpayers, customers and the wider business community. Under the Best Value standard, local authorities have a duty to make arrangements to â€Å"secure continuous improvement in the way in which its functions are exercised, having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness.† (What is Best Value?, 2006) Best Value is defined as â€Å"providing local people what they want, when they want it, at a price they are willing and able to pay. It's also about being imaginative in how local needs are met.† (What is Best Value?, 2006) Other principles of Best Value are stated to include: Being accountable to local people. They have to listen to and consult the people they are there to serve. They have to report regularly on what they have achieved and what they are planning. Looking to continuously improve. Sometimes this will come through many small changes, sometimes through larger changes when the existing service is fundamentally challenged. Setting targets and publicly reporting achievement against them. Cutting across departmental boundaries, rather than just looking at services individually. Councils can also work with other local agencies to tackle issues beyond the reach of a single service and need co-operative working with partner bodies. Developing partnerships with the private sector, with communities and agencies, and between authorities. These partnerships will be able to review services jointly, develop local plans, acting together to achieve local outcomes, and provide services in some cases. Being open about service delivery. Councils shouldn't assume that they should deliver activities if other more efficient and effective means are available. This is not to say however that authorities must contract their services out – what matters is what works best for delivering services to the community, so an open mind is needed. (What is Best Value?, 2006) PART A – Critical Review of the Existing Key Business Issues Related to Best Value Management and Strategic Development in the Housing Management, Regeneration, New business and Asset Management Industry. In the assessment of DHA the comments provided by the inspecting agency were in the areas of the following which require improvement: (1)Effective Financial and Corporate Governance; (2)Asset management, including repairs and response management; (3)Reinvestment in Current Stock to meet the Decent Home Standards; (4)Poor procurement and project management systems; (7)High levels of social behavior and poor neighborhood communities. According to the standards of ‘Best Practice' in this industry accountability to the local people is considered critical. It is necessary that Dante Housing Association ‘listen' to the residents; it is critical that Dante Housing Association ‘consult' with the residents; and it is critical that Dante Housing Association ‘report' on a ‘regular basis' to the residents and inform them what plans are in process. All of these actions herein stated fall directly in line with numbers 1, 2, 4, 5, and are associated with number 7 of the problem areas that must be focused on in the six months allotted for Dante Housing Association, hereafter referred to as DHA to make the necessary changes and improvements. In fact, the continuous view toward improvement is necessary to be instituted into the principles and practices of DHA so it is important that this perspective and standard be initiated into all aspects of improvement toward which this report is focused. The regular reporting and accounting publicly is critical as well in the process of instituting ‘Best Value' standards for DHA because to meet the goals that are set for DHA is not enough, because without reporting of these goals and their achievement publicly then the public will not be aware of what DHA is doing and may assume that DHA is doing nothing. DHA must institute a principle of collaboration across boundaries both within and outside of DHA in order to attain the best prices, gain the cooperation and assistance of other agencies position to offer such assistance because so many times the changes that are needed are bigger than DHA has the capacity to provide single-handedly. This leads to the next issue which is the need for DHA to establish partnerships and cooperative efforts with other companies in both the public and private sector and for the reasons as just stated. Finally, DHA must agree to consider options available in services delivery and if outsourcing some of these delivery of services might mean savings, efficiency and effectiveness then DHA must prepare itself to make the necessary changes to deliver services in the most effective and efficient manner possible.

Puberty

Puberty is known to be the transitioning period for children to become emerging adults. Puberty is important because not only is it a sign for parents that their child is growing up. It is a sign for the child itself that he or she is growing up. Puberty is different for both boys and girls especially the biological events that take place.When girls go through puberty, they go through it at an earlier age than the boys. Girls start at the age of eight to the age of 14. What happens first for girls is the breast development. Breast buds typically occur around nine or ten years old, although sometimes for some children they occur earlier or for others they occur later. The girls' parents are often surprised that their daughter has breast buds since the breast develop slowly and occur at different times. At the beginning of puberty, sometimes one breast often appears first than the other. The girl may believe that something in the breast is wrong like gaining a tumor, especially since the tissue of the breast can feel very sore and sensitive, but this because the breast are developing slowly at a decent rate which is extremely normal. The second sign of puberty is gaining pubic hair in the genital area. At first, there are very few hairs and come out straight and soft. As the girl grows up, the pubic hair grows out and becomes dark, curly, and coarse. The pubic hair grows gently to the lower stomach to the inner thigh, looking like in a three-cornered shape. About another couple years, hair begins to grow in the armpits. The third sign for puberty is that the girls gain weight which gives them a more rounded belly. This gives girls extreme anxiety because they believe they are gaining weight but usually it is adipose tissue. Adipose tissue is the tissue where fat is kept. The body will separate the fat from the stomach and waist to other parts of the body so it can create a nice figure. The last is usually the menstrual cycle. There are many myths when it comes to menstruation like you cannot use a tampon till you are a full adult, or you cannot swim in the pool and so on. Menarche or menstruation is when ovulation is beginning which means that you can begin to be able to be pregnant. In a study in 1982, the researchers Brooks- Gunn and Ruble, reported that girls feel more grown up now that they are finally menstruating. A longitudinal study in 2003 reported that there is an increase in self-esteem and social maturity. Boys go through puberty much later than girls which are the ages of twelve to sixteen. The first step of puberty for boys is that the boy is going through with maturing is when the size of the testicles and the scrotal sac grows. As the testicles grows, the scrotum skin darkens, expands, thins, and lastly hangs down. Like girls and each breast size, boys when it comes to their testicles, one testicle hangs lower than the other. Like girls the next step of puberty for boys is the pubic hair. Similar to girls, the pubic hair changes to a darker color, the hairs become curlier and rougher in texture, but the pattern is more of a diamond shaped than a triangle. Over the next few years it covers the pubic region, and then covers the thighs like a girl would have her pubic hair covered. Difference between boys and girls pubic hair is that boys have their pubic hair going up to their belly button. Then light or thin little hairs grows on a boy's face, legs, arms and underarms, and chest. The third step of puberty is the body shape changes. Before puberty, usually boys look chubby and lanky. The boys then have a growth spurt as they go into puberty. Body proportions change during this spurt, which are the legs extend and the trunks become bigger. Boys then gain muscle mass and continue to grow even after girls are finished with puberty. When the boys are at the top of puberty, their voices begin to change drastically. For a brief period of time, the boys voice may break once in a while as it deepens. Once the larynx or the vocal box reaches to a suitable size, the cracking will stop. J.M. Tanners Longitudinal research on Pubertal Development helped greatly to understand puberty. In the year 1960 through the 1970s J.M. Tanner, a British biologist, was studying physical development. He took many pictures and physical evaluations of both boys and girls throughout their lives to figure out the steps of puberty. From each photo and physical evaluation, Tanner figured out the ages of the changes that happened to the children. A good theory when it comes to puberty would be Storm and Stress by G. Stanley Hall. This is a great example because as the child grows up, he or she becomes a different person. To go deeper, Storm and Stress goes through difficulties with parents, risky behaviors, and drastic mood swings. This all happens because of the hormones, like estrogen and testosterone, which the children are gaining as they are going through the process of puberty. Puberty is different for everyone. Sometimes puberty comes early or late for either gender. It affects them differently emotionally, and physically. The one fact is true for either gender is that it is a period for the child or adolescence to mature and to find more of themselves to become a great and fitting adult in society.

The Effects Of Sports On A Human s Life - 2258 Words

The effect of sports in a human’s life The human race is a mystery to me, to most people in the world we love a little, hate a little more and most of us do both. I once thought why not always love each other, there’s so much panic in the world it would probably be resolved if there were less hatred in the world. People throughout history has been the same they hit each other, violate each other s privacy even worst things. It’s not the fact that we don’t care as a society, but it’s human nature you can’t help yourself there are some people like most church goers can continuously treat people kindly people but it’s no guarantee. Ever Since I can remember I was active running around playing with my friends, it was a memorable part of my†¦show more content†¦That reaction I received from my dad made that day all the more memorable because I knew that playing sports was one of the quickest ways to get to someone s heart. Benefits for the audience This topic is intended for everyone who will listen but to the ones who will read but don’t pay it any attention, it might be the same case with you now or it will be with your kids and their kids after them. This topic is mostly for my classmates I want them to relate to student athletes even in high school not to mention college, the stress they undergo is alarming great. As a student athlete I can tell you it’s not an easy task going to practice hitting your head on someone else’s head multiple times, then having to study for an exam. In the book stress in college athletes it said â€Å"regards to athletics demands, slightly more than half of the male athletes and 60% of the female athletes reported such demands are stress inducing, and that by far the greatest stressor for athletes was the pressure put on them to win.† Therefore being curious in an athlete s well being is important I would encourage my classmates to ask them questions, basic questions like how are yo? Do you need help studying? Anything would be good because I believe that athletes have it worst than any of us and if we don t act the pressure willShow MoreRelatedThe Sports Aren Illegal Recruiting And Paying Athletes778 Words   |  4 PagesAs a former athlete playing in young recreational leagues to division 1 football. Now coaching football on the high school level one issue has been a topic of issue in the sports arena is illegal recruiting and paying athletes to play. Naturally as humans we all want to be the best and to have the edge. 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